Rams' two-out rally takes title

Scott City defeated Delta 5-4 in the championship game of the Oak Ridge Invitational.

OAK RIDGE -- As the sun set beyond the left field fence, members of the Scott City softball team celebrated their victory with a smirk that comes with incredulity.

"I'm still hyperventilating," Scott City senior Jessica Warren said a few minutes after her three-run double lifted the Rams to their amazing come-from-behind victory.

Down to its final out and showing no signs of scoring a run, Scott City somehow came up with all the runs it needed to edge Delta 5-4 in the five-inning championship game of the Oak Ridge softball tournament.

"We were smarter with our bats in that last inning," Scott City coach Sally O'Brien said. "I thought we battled back fairly well."

Fairly well? This was more like climbing off a deathbed to dance the polka.

After Delta pitcher Sarah Cook dominated the Rams on just two hits and six strikeouts in the first 4 2/3 innings, she suddenly couldn't get an out. The Bobcats (4-1), whose miscues consisted of only one wild pitch with no errors, committed a costly error and had three more wild pitches before they could get the out that would end the game. That and four walks set the tone for Warren, who placed a double right on the left-field line to clear the bases.

"I have never been so nervous in my life," Warren said.

But for Scott City (8-1) to have its No. 5 hitter in position to drive in the go-ahead run was more than it could have asked for just minutes before, when it had yet to put a runner on third base.

With darkness setting in, Cook retired the first two hitters in the fifth. Pitcher Emily Essner then walked, and leadoff hitter Lauren Schaefer beat out a groundball to shortstop. Essner stole third base, and Schaefer later stole second.

Then came the bizarre play of the comeback. Kimberly Klipfel drew a walk and the last pitch was a wild pitch that scored Essner. Catcher Kaci Menz's throw to Cook at home plate got past the pitcher and -- after first baseman Jenny Dannenmueller ran into Rams first base coach Lana Arnzen -- down the right field line, allowing Schaefer to score and sending Klipfel to second. A wild pitch and a walk to Lindsey Amick set up first and third. A wild pitch and a walk to Ashton Phillips loaded the bases for Warren.

"I always know to watch out at third base when she's up because that's where she likes to hit them," said O'Brien, who did not hesitate waving all three runners home on the hit.

Warren's excuse-me swing spoiled the day for Cook, who gave up four hits but walked seven -- including four in the seventh. She struck out the final hitter of the game.

"She walked more batters tonight than she has in the first four games combined," Delta coach Laura Brown said.

"Sarah does a good job mixing her pitches a lot," O'Brien said. "I've got to give a lot of credit to our pitcher, too. She pitched three games and did a good job today."

Scott City freshman Emily Essner allowed four hits in the championship game and struck out three. She didn't help herself with two errors and gave up just one earned run.

She had pitched 5 1/3 innings in relief to get the win in an 8-2 quarterfinal decision against Meadow Heights, and she delivered a complete game in a 5-4 win against Oran in the semifinal. Oran stranded two runners in the seventh inning after scoring one run.

After all that, Scott City seemed to be out of gas midway through the game and nearly resigned to taking second.

Delta had manufactured a run in the first inning -- Menz walked, took two bases on Cook's sacrifice and scored on Dannenmueller's groundball that led to an error -- and added three more runs in the third while nearly put the game away.

Menz again led off by reaching base in the third, this time on an error. With one out, Menz stole second and later drew an errant throw from Essner that put on her third base. After Dannenmueller walked, Smith drove in two runs with a single. She came around to score with two outs on Amanda Drew's hit. Delta loaded the bases with two outs but Essner did not allow any more runs -- or hits -- the rest of the way.

With Cook cruising, it didn't look like the Bobcats needed them.

QUARTERFINAL

Scott City 8, Oak Ridge 2

Oak Ridge 110 000 0 -- 2 3 5

Scott City 211 400 x -- 8 9 1

WP -- Emily Essner. LP -- Sedgewick. 2B -- Lauren Schaefer (SC), Kelley Hicks (SC), Schaper (OR); Multiple hits -- Scott City, Becky Holder 2-2.

SEMIFINAL

Scott City 5, Oran 4

Scott City 320 000 0 -- 5 7 3

Oran 000 102 1 -- 4 7 3

WP -- Emily Essner. LP -- Hannah Seyer. Multiple hits -- Oran, Jodi Urhahn 2-3, Tori St. Cin 2-4. Records -- Oran 3-2.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Scott City 5, Delta 4

Delta 103 000 0 -- 4 4 1

Scott City 000 000 5 -- 5 4 3

WP -- Emily Essner, 8-1. LP -- Sarah Cook, 4-1. 2B -- Lauren Schaefer (SC). Multiple hits -- Scott City, Lauren Schaefer 2-3. Records -- Scott City 8-1, Delta 4-1.